Fixing apparatus for hard disk drive

ABSTRACT

An exemplary fixing apparatus is for mounting a hard disk drive (HDD) having a plurality of holes defined in sidewalls and includes a bracket, a clip, and a plurality of fixing pins. The bracket includes an end plate, and a pair of side plates extending from opposite ends of the end plate respectively. The side plates are capable of being flexed away from each other for allowing the HDD to be placed therebetween. The clip is pivotably attached to one side plate and detachably locked with the other side plate. The fixing pins are attached to the side plates to engage in the holes of the HDD.

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATION

Relevant subject matter is disclosed in the 6 co-pending U.S. patentapplications (Attorney Docket Nos. US16729, US16019, US15815, US15812,US15814, US16020); filed on the same date and having a same title as thepresent application, which are assigned to the same assignee as thispatent application. Relevant subject matter is also disclosed in theco-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/953,863, filed on Dec.11, 2007, having a same title as the present application, which isassigned to the same assignee as this patent application.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to fixing apparatuses, and particularly toa fixing apparatus for hard disk drives (HDDs).

2. Description of Related Art

The conventional approach now being adopted to mount an HDD in acomputer chassis generally involves placing the HDD in a holding area ofa drive bracket; screwing a plurality of screws through side walls ofthe drive bracket into two sides of the HDD to fasten the HDD on thedrive bracket; and mounting the HDD and the bracket in a computerchassis or a mobile HDD rack. For proper balanced installation of theHDD, multiple screws should be fastened at the same time, makinginstallation and removal of the HDD tedious.

What is desired, therefore, is a fixing apparatus which allowsconvenient installation and removal of an HDD.

SUMMARY

An exemplary fixing apparatus is for mounting a hard disk drive (HDD)having a plurality of holes defined in sidewalls and includes a bracket,a clip, and a plurality of fixing pins. The bracket includes an endplate, and a pair of side plates extending from opposite ends of the endplate respectively. The side plates are capable of being flexed awayfrom each other for allowing the HDD to be placed therebetween. The clipis pivotably attached to one side plate and detachably locked with theother side plate. The fixing pins are attached to the side plates toengage in the holes of the HDD.

Other advantages and novel features will become more apparent from thefollowing detailed description when taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a fixing apparatus of an embodiment ofthe present invention assembled with an HDD, and a rack;

FIG. 2 is an exploded, isometric view of the fixing apparatus of FIG. 1;and

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the fixing apparatus of FIG. 1 in areleasing position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a fixing apparatus in accordance with anembodiment of the present invention is for fixing a hard disk drive(HDD) 10 in a rack 60. The fixing apparatus includes a bracket 20, apair of shock absorbing members 30, a clip 40, and a plurality of fixingpins 50.

The rack 60 includes a pair of parallel sidewalls 62 defining areceiving space therebetween. A pair of railways 622 is defined at theinsides of the sidewalls 62, respectively. A pair of locking holes 624is defined in the sidewalls 62 beside the railways 622, respectively.

The HDD 10 includes a pair of holes 12 defined in each of two oppositesidewalls thereof.

The bracket 20 has an integral U-shaped configuration and includes anend plate 22, and a pair of side plates 24 a, 24 b extendingperpendicularly from opposite ends of the end plate 22 respectively in asame direction. A pivoting portion 25 extends inward from an inside wallof the side plate 24 a at a distal end thereof. A pivoting hole 252 isdefined in the pivoting portion 25. A retaining portion 27 is formed atan inside wall of side plate 24 b at a distal end thereof, correspondingto the pivoting portion 25 of the side plate 24 a. The retaining portion27 includes a half-cylindrical protrusion 272 extending inward from theinside wall of the side plate 24 b, and a C-shaped resilient tab 274extending from one vertical side of the protrusion 272 and toward theother vertical side of the protrusion 272. The protrusion 272 and theretaining tab 274 cooperatively define a retaining space 275 and anentry 277 therebetween. An operating tab 276 extends from an outsideedge of the resilient tab 274. The side plates 24 a, 24 b include a pairof extension portions 28 extending forward from the front ends of theside plates 24 a, 24 b, respectively. A pair of wedged blocks 282extends outward from outside walls of the extension portions 28,respectively. Two J-shaped operating arms 284 extend toward each otherfrom distal ends of the extension portions 28 respectively. A toothedurging portion 286 is formed at the inside of the arced free end of eachof the operating arms 284. Each of the side plates 24 a, 24 b includes apair of flanges 242 extending perpendicularly from an upper edge and alower edge thereof, respectively. Each of the side plates 24 a, 24 bincludes a long platform 244 extending from an outside wall thereof, anda recessed portion 245 correspondingly defined in an inside wallthereof. A plurality of mounting holes 246 is defined in the platforms244, extending to the side plates 24 a, 24 b.

The clip 40 is made of a resilient, high strength metal wire andincludes a locking section 42, a pair of transverse sections 44extending perpendicularly from opposite ends of the locking section 42respectively, and a pair of pivoting sections 46 extending toward eachother and perpendicularly from distal ends of the transverse sections44, respectively.

Each of the shock absorbing members 30 is an elongated bar and made ofconductive rubber. A plurality of cylindrical mounting portions 32 isformed in each of the shock absorbing members 30. A central through hole322 is defined in each of the mounting portions 32.

The fixing pins 50 are made of metal, and are inserted into the centralthrough holes 322 of the shock absorbing members 30. The shock absorbingmembers 30 are retained in the recessed portions 245 of the side plates24 a, 24 b, with the mounting portions 32 extending through the mountingholes 246 of the side plates 24 a, 24 b.

In assembly, the clip 40 is pivotably attached to the side plate 24 a ofthe bracket 20, with the pivoting sections 46 of the clip 40 engaging inthe pivoting hole 252 of the pivoting portion 25 of the side plate 24 a.The locking section 42 of the clip 40 is detachably retained in theretaining space 275 of the retaining portion 27 of the side plate 24 bvia the entry 277.

To retain the HDD 10 in the bracket 20, the operating tab 276 of theretaining portion 27 of the side plate 24 b is flexed open to enlargethe entry 277 so that the locking section 42 of the clip 40 can bepivotably moved away from the retaining portion 27. Then, the sideplates 24 a, 24 b are urged open, for allowing the HDD 10 to be placedtherebetween, with the holes 12 of the HDD 10 in alignment with thefixing pins 50 of the side plates 24 a, 24 b. Then the side plates 24 a,24 b are released so that the fixing pins 50 thereof extend into theholes 12 of the HDD 10. The locking section 42 of the clip 20 ispivotably moved into the retaining space 275 of the retaining portion 27via the entry 277. Thus, the HDD 10 is secured in the bracket 20.

To release the HDD 10 from the bracket 20, the locking section 42 of theclip 40 is disengaged from the retaining space 275 of the bracket 20 asdescribed above, so that the side plates 24 a, 24 b of the bracket 20can be urged open. Thus, the HDD 10 can then be easily removed.

The bracket 20 together with the HDD 10 is inserted into the rack 60,with the platforms 244 of the bracket 20 sliding in the railways 622 ofsidewalls 62 of the rack 60. When the wedged blocks 282 of the bracket20 engage in the locking holes 624 of the sidewalls 62 of the rack 60,the bracket 20 is secured in the rack 60. To release the bracket 20 fromthe rack 60, the operating arms 284 are drawn toward at the toothedurging portions 286 thereof to disengage the wedged blocks 282 from thelocking holes 624 of the rack 60. Then, the bracket 20 is slid out ofthe rack 60.

It is believed that the present embodiments and their advantages will beunderstood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent thatvarious changes may be made thereto without departing from the spiritand scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its materialadvantages, the examples hereinbefore described merely being preferredor exemplary embodiments.

1. A fixing apparatus for fixing a hard disk drive (HDD) with aplurality of holes defined in sidewalls thereof, the fixing apparatuscomprising: a bracket comprising an end plate, and a pair of side platesextending from two ends of the end plates, the side plates capable ofbeing flexed away from each for allowing the HDD to be placedtherebetween; a clip pivotably attached to one of the side plates anddetachably locked with the other one of the side plates; and a pluralityof fixing pins attached to the side plates to engage in the holes ofHDD.
 2. The fixing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein one platecomprises a retaining portion formed at an end thereof, the clipcomprises a locking section detachably engaging in the retainingportion.
 3. The fixing apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein theretaining portion comprises a protrusion extending inward from thecorresponding side plate, an arced resilient tab extending from one sideof the protrusion and toward the other side of the protrusion, aretaining space is defined between the resilient tab and the protrusionto retain the locking section.
 4. The fixing apparatus as claimed inclaim 2, wherein the clip further comprises a pair of transversesections extending perpendicularly from opposite ends thereof, and apair of pivoting sections extending toward each other from two distalends of the transverse sections respectively, the other side platecomprises a pivoting portion extending inward from an inside wallthereof, a pivoting hole is defined in the pivoting portion to receivethe pivoting sections therein.
 5. The fixing apparatus as claimed inclaim 1, wherein each of the side plates comprises a pair of flangesextending from two opposite edges thereof to sandwich the HDDtherebetween.
 6. The fixing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, furthercomprising a pair of shock absorbing bars, wherein each of the sideplates comprises a platform extending from an outside thereof, and arecessed portion correspondingly defined in an inside thereof, forreceiving the shock absorbing bar therein.
 7. The fixing apparatus asclaimed in claim 6, wherein each of the shock absorbing bars comprises aplurality of mounting portions formed therein, each of the platformscomprises a plurality of mounting holes defined therein and extending tothe corresponding side plate to receive the mounting portions of theshock absorbing bar.
 8. The fixing apparatus as claimed in claim 6,wherein a plurality of fixing holes is defined in the shock absorbingbars to receive the fixing pins therein.
 9. The fixing apparatus asclaimed in claim 6, wherein the shock absorbing bars are made ofconductive rubber.
 10. The fixing apparatus as claimed in claim 1,wherein a pair of extension portions respectively extends forward fromfree ends of the side plates respectively, a pair of wedged blocksextends from outside walls of the extension portions, respectively. 11.The fixing apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein two operating armsextend toward each other from distal ends of the extension portionsrespectively.